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Child Safety on the Internet

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This afternoon event will provide a comprehensive introduction to the issues surrounding child safety on the internet including sex offender behaviour on the internet, security issues and concerns around moderation, and case studies in best practice from CBBC and Walt Disney Internet Group Europe.

Are you taking the correct steps in ensuring children who use your website are best protected from online dangers, and are you also protecting yourself?

Approximately 5 million children use the internet in the UK, and there are many potential risks to them with 'online enticement' - where children are approached and groomed by paedophiles - resulting in possible abuse.

This afternoon conference will provide a comprehensive introduction to the issues surrounding child safety on the internet in line with the Government’s Internet Task Force and The E-crime Strategy.

With many companies unsure of getting the balance right between protecting children yet remaining commercially viable, it is imperative that the industry sets best practice and guidelines for this.

Many members of the internet industry have already reserved their tickets for this event. Book now and don’t miss out.

Speakers include:

• Annie Mullins, Content Standards Manager, Vodafone Global Product and Content Services
• Sue Barnett, Internet Awareness and Advisory Foundation.
• Dr Julia Davidson, Senior Lecturer, Criminology and Social Research Methods, University of Westminster
• Elena Martellozzo, Researcher in Criminology, University of Westminster
• Rachel Bardill, Senior Producer, CBBC Communities.
• Rob Marcus, MD Chat Moderators
• Darren Cockburn, Director of Strategy and Head of Broadband Consumer Products, Walt Disney Internet Group Europe.

The conference will be chaired by Ewan MacLeod, CEO Neo One.

Agenda

Session One

14:00: Introduction to the conference by Ewan MacLeod

14:10: Annie Mullins on The Internet Task Force and the E-Crime Strategy.

• The Internet Task Force and the E-Crime Strategy
  What is the ITF, what is the E-Crime Strategy and what areas will it cover, and why is it important for ISPs and websites gain an understanding of what the Home Office is working towards in relation to child safety?
• Home Office Best Practice Guidance for the Internet
  How is best practice being developed, how will this guideline protect children using the internet, and how will it alter the internet in the future?
• Advice on conduct and content of websites
  How can users of internet services be protected on the internet, and what should the conduct and content of websites be with regards to child safety on the internet?

14:30: Sue Barnett on the Internet Awareness and Advisory Foundation.

• Sue will be talking about why we need to be aware of what is happening regarding internet regulations (more details to follow)

14:50: Dr Julia Davidson and Elena Martellozzo on Police Process and Sex Offender Behaviour.

• Police process and legislation
  How does the police work in relation to the internet, and what measures do they take in ensuring child safety on the internet. Is it possible for ISPs and websites to work alongside the police? What legislation is already in place for protecting children who use the internet?
• Sex offender behaviour
  How do sex offenders use the internet to target children?

15:15: 30-minute coffee break in which questions can be put to the speakers of session one.

Session Two

15:45: Rachel Bardill presents a CBBC Case Study

• How CBBC endeavours to protect children participating in its online communities.

16:05: Rob Marcus presents on Moderation

• What are the security issues and concerns around moderation? Is moderation better outsourced or in-house? Can moderation ever really protect children using the internet?

16:25: Darren Cockburn presents a Disney Case Study

• How Disney built ToonTown Online with child safety in mind.

Session Three

16:45: Panel Discussion

• Can there ever be ‘best practice’ for child protection on the internet?
• If websites can look after children who visit their sites without running at a financial loss and how this is done
• The safety issues of working with volunteer moderators.
• The different levels of protection: What does your website need and what is good enough for it?

17:25: There will be a drinks reception following the event courtesy of Disney.

About the Speakers

• Ewan MacLeod - CEO, Neo One
  Ewan is CEO of Neo One, a world leader in the provision of consumer-driven managed services, including two-way SMS texting, Internet chat and forum moderation, live event production and email response management. Ewan was - and to a large part, still is - an Internet communities geek, with widespread experience implementing, managing and developing chat, forum and supporting community services for numerous Internet and media companies. Ewan is keen to encourage the adoption of safer interactive services for children.
• Annie Mullins - Content Standards Manager, Vodafone
  Annie is currently Content Standards Manager for Vodafone Global Products and Content Services where she develops Global policy guidelines and frameworks to protect children. She is also a member of the Home Office Child Protection and the Internet Task Force and has chaired Task Force Working Groups for the Good Practice Guidance on Chat, Instant Messaging Service and the World Wide Web. Annie is consultant to Virgin Mobile on the protection of children and reviewer for the European Union Safer Internet Programme. The Former Head of Social Issues for Yahoo UK, Annie has also been former Senior Policy Manager for NCH (children’s charity). Annie is also a qualified social worker with expertise in child protection.
• Sue Barnett - International Business Development Director, IAAF
  Sue got involved in the Internet due to the tragic murder of her sister, Jane Longhurst, whose murder was committed by a man who was sexually motivated by images viewed on the internet. Since then Sue has contributed to articles on Internet abuse and violence, in both local and national newspapers. Sue recently reported for ITN News relating to the Internet and its use, and her main focus is to see positive action in the education of the general public to the dangers and the abuse and misuse on the Internet. Sue believes that the public needs to be able to source products and solutions that have been developed with these issues in mind.
• Dr Julia Davidson - Senior lecturer in Criminology and Research Methods,University of Westminster
  Julia Davidson has a PhD from the London School of Economic and Political Science, and has conducted a considerable amount of research on Child Sexual Abuse with both perpetrators and victims. She is presently conducting research on behalf of the Metropolitan Police into Child Safety on the Internet. Julia is currently writing a book entitled ‘Child Sexual Abuse: Media Representation and Government Response’ edited by Professors David Downes and Paul Rock and published by Cavendish Publishing. Julia also regularly provides expert advice to the media on the sexual abuse of children.
• Elena Martellozzo - Doctorate Researcher/Visiting lecturer in Criminology, University of Westminster
  Elena has an MSc in Crime, Deviance and Control from the London School of Economics and Political Science and has worked as a researcher for both Oxford University and the Strategic Research Unit at the Metropolitan Police. Elena is currently conducting fieldwork for her PhD at New Scotland Yard where she is analysing police practice and police strategies for combating child abuse on the Internet. She is also assisting Julia Davidson with the evaluation of the Safer Surfing Programme on behalf of the Metropolitan Police.
• Rachel Bardill - Senior Producer, Communities, CBBC
  Rachel formerly worked for a Liverpool based shopping channel, with roles ranging from Researcher to VT Editor. She then moved to Granada Interactive in London, working her way up from Production Assistant to Producer of their drama websites. She was then appointed Editor of Communities at Granada where she managed message boards and live online chats for programmes like Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Popstars and Cold Feet, as well as events for Liverpool Football Club, ITV Football, Formula 1, and UK Style. Since 2002 Rachel has been CBBC’s Senior Community Producer. Her role includes leading the team who look after the message boards and interactive celebrity chats, with responsibility for the quality, safety and future development of the CBBC Community.
• Robert Marcus - Director , Chat Moderators
  Robert began his career at Reed-Elsevier, where he was instrumental in giving computer publisher Ziff-Davis their foothold in UK through licensing deals, and Reed itself a foothold in Asia through product launches. By the mid-90’s he was working as a marketing communications consultant with UK-focused organisations such as Whitbread, Open University and UCI Cinemas. Four years ago he founded Chat Moderators to give ‘new media’ people an outsourced option for the checking of user-generated content that typically appeared in branded interactive environments such as chat rooms and forums. Today, Chat Moderators reads over 30,000 user postings each twenty-four hour day, in seven languages, for clients both huge and tiny. Robert has a degree in Politics.
• Darren Cockburn - Director of Strategy, Walt Disney Internet Group Europe
  Darren is European director of strategy for the Walt Disney Internet Group. He is responsible for developing new initiatives for the Walt Disney Internet Group in Europe. He joined Disney in July 2001. Prior to that he worked for Liv4now.com as chief operating officer. Previously he was responsible for the risk management of all of Nomura International’s private equity and venture capital investment and has also worked in investment banking with Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. He started his career at Arthur Andersen, where he helped establish the media and strategy consulting practices in the UK. Cockburn graduated from Oxford University and has a BA (Hons) in Mathematics. Cockburn also holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley.

Please note: Bookings made within three days of this event require credit card payment. Many thanks.

Report on the event.

Location

Disney HQ

3 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9PS